A senior French official has said that authorities have no evidence that al-Qaida commissioned a gunman to commit a killing spree that left seven dead.

The official, who is close to the investigation into gunman Mohamed Merah, said there was no sign he had "trained or been in contact with organised groups or jihadists".

Merah had travelled to Afghanistan and Pakistan, and prosecutors said Merah had claimed he had been in contact with al-Qaida. A little-known group claimed responsibility for the killings but the official said the claim appeared opportunistic.